Method of making french seams



July 12, 1932. H. F. GRUB/IAN` 1,866,547

METHOD 0F MAKINGVFRENCH SEAMS Filed Dec. 22, 1930 Smaentor,

. Gttomeg,

Patented July 12, 1932Y UNITED STATES 'PATENT HORACE r. GRUMAN, or sT. LOUIS, MIssoUnI, As'sIGNonIo LEWIs INVISIBILE sufren y MACHINE COMPANY, or sfr. LoUIs, MIssoURI, .A con'roRA'IIoN or MAIN@l METHOD or MAKING rnENcn: "snAM's' Application mea December 22, 1330,vr serial No. '504,197.2

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in methods of forming French seams. Y Y

Heretofore, a French seam has been formed y by first superposing two body fabrics with two of their edges in register, then joining the superposed fabrics by a line of stitches disposed in parallelism to the edges of the fabrics, then folding both body fabrics over the joining seam, and finally seaming the fabrics with a line of stitches extending parallel to the first line of stitches. This method is obviously slow and consequently rapid production cannot be obtained. Furthermore, this method has often resulted in the marginal edge portions of the fabrics being projected through vthe second seam and consequently a ragged and unsightly French seam has been thereby produced. j

Among the several objects of my invention are to provide a method of Vforming French seams wherein rapid production can be obtained, and to provide such a method whereby the marginal edge portions will be com- 5 pletely hidden from view and a French seam of the highest quality will be produced.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view showing generally the successive steps employed in my invention, l

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing more or less diagrannnaticallythe second step in my method, Y

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing more or less diagrammatically the third step in my method, n

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing more or less diagrammatically the fourth step in my method,

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing more body fabrics A-'and B and'turn theladjacent y A f Y -marginal portions a and b out of the general .plane of the fabrics into side-by-side relation,

AVthese portions a and b beingpreferably turned downwardly as shown in Figurefl. Thesevertical marginal portions while` ,in this lrelation are then joined .by a line of through stitches c as shown in Figure 2,. 'I have4 thus formed what will be hereinafter Y referred to as the initial or rst seam. Ithen '60 trim themarginal portions aand b below and close to the stitches c bya trimming means as shown in Figure 3. Ithen form' an upwardl1y extending ridge d in the seamed and j A trimmed body fabrics by a suitable means, as fc5 shownv in; Figure 4. This "ridge (Z extends along the line of the initial seam and Vincludes -thelatter, the upwardly extending inside y `marginal portions e and f ofthe bodyfabrics :being disposed inside-by-side relation and entirely `covering'or vembracing the yline-of i lstitches 0 andthetrimmed marginalportions a and b. By the term insidef I/ refer to those marginal-portions of the fabrics which are inside of the line of stitches o,- as distin- I5 vguished from those marginal portions which are outside of the line of stitches c. and which have been trimmed. I then join the upturned inside marginal portions e and f by a line ofstitches g as shown in Figure 5, and y80* therebyl form the second ornal seam, the line of stitches g extending in parallelism with the initial seam but-.spaced slightly below Ythe trimmedl edgesA thereof. Thus by ltrimming the marginal portions a and b of the initial' seam, VIam enabled to form the stitches g close tothe stitches c but without showing anyl of themarginal portions a and b in the inished'seam. Y i

,Althoughl have shown'fand described the edge portions a and b as being turned downwardly and the ridge d projected upwardly, it will be understood that my invention embraces the idea of the edge portions a A,and b being turned upwardly and the ridge d being k projected downwardly. y f n Iclaim:- v Y l1. The method of French seaming body fabrics, consisting in turning the adjacent j marginal portions out of the general plane 0f 2lr l 1,866,647

said fabrics, then seaming said marginal portions while thus turned by a line of stitches, then forming a ridge in the seamed fabrics along the line of and including the seam and with the marginal portions of the seam disposed within the ridge, andV then. seaming the ridged portion of the fabrics by a line of stitches in spaced relation to the line of stitches of the first seam While the fabrics remain in the saine general plane.

2. The method of French seamlng body V fabrics, consisting in turning the adjacent.

marginalportions out of the 'general plane of' said fabrics, seamingv said marginal portions while thus turned by a line of stitches, then trimming the turned marginal portionsfbef yond the line of stitches, then forming a ridge in the seamed fabrics. along the. line of and including the 'seam and with the marl ginal portions of the seam' disposed within the ridge, and then seaming the ridged portion of the fabrics by a line of stitches? in spaced relation to the trimmed edgesxof'the first seam while the fabrics remain in the same general plane. v Y

3. The method of French seaining body fabrics, consisting in turning downwardly the adjacent marginal portions of two body fabrics, then seaming the downwardly turned marginal portions by a line ofl stitches, then A forming an upwardly extending ridge in the seamed. fabrics along the line lof and ineluding the seam and with the marginal por- Y Y tions ofthe seam. disposed within the ridge,

and then se'aming the ridged portion ofthe 1 fabrics byy a line of stitches. below the' first seam. while the fabrics remain in the same general plane. v

4. The methodV of French seaming body fabrics, consisting in turning downwardly the adjacent marginal portions of two .body

fabrics, then seeming the downwardly turned. marginal portions by a line. of stitches, then trimming the downwardly turned mar'- ginal portions. below the line of'stitches,

then forming ani upwardly extending ridge in the seamed fabrics along the line: of and J including the seam vand withfthe marginal 'portions of the seam Ydisposed within Vthe ridge, and then seamingthe'ridged portion of the fabrics by a line .of stitches belowthe trimmed edges of the first seam while the fabrics remain in the same general plane.l Y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. HORACE F. .GR-UMAN. 

